


cobalt and gold

by windthorne



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 08:09:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4384001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windthorne/pseuds/windthorne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>then you come crashing in, like the realest thing.</i>
</p><p>their story does not start with icebergs, water-sewn necklaces, and desperate hope. it starts with a strike of lightning. / a zk drabble series, for the ship that could have been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. harmonious

**Author's Note:**

> written a year ago, but i decided to post this now b/c why not. enjoy ^_^

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it all begins with lightning.

He was destined to rule–the son of the fire lord, the prince of a nation, the rightful heir to the throne. He was powerful, courageous, vehement. He was prepared for this battle since the beginning.

She was destined to reign–the daughter of the chief, the caretaker of their ragtag group, the lover of the avatar. At 15, she was one of the strongest master waterbenders in history.

They were the avatar’s mentors, teachers, trainers–they had taught him the lessons of their respective elements, of fire and heat, of water and flow.

Their destiny was to help the avatar defeat the fire lord. Everything they had done for a year, all leading to this moment.

As he fought his sister for the crown, he knew this wasn’t going to be any other regular battle. This would be the final blow, the last pound for the prize.

And he knew, he knew that his sister would do anything to take over the fire nation.  _His_  nation.

This was not a regular agni kai–this was to the death. He knew she would kill him if it came right down to it.

But what he didn’t know was that she would stoop so low, low enough that she would try to kill  _her_ instead.

 _Her_ , the waterbender that stood close by.  _Her_ , the girl who had forgiven him after everything he had done. _Her_ , the one who knew how he felt when no one else did, the one he would do  _anything_  for–

He didn’t realize he was running for the bolts until he was lying on the earth, shaking uncontrollably and static running through his veins.

And while he was slowly dying on the ground, she was dodging cobalt flames, trying desperately to reach his side.

No, this wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen to them, not the avatar’s teachers, not the future’s only hopes, not the firebender and waterbender that went through hell to save the world.

Not even when she clenched her fists around the steely locks that chained the psychotic princess does her mind stop whirling. Not even as she rushed to the fallen prince does she trip in her steps.

She scrambled and ran for him, because he couldn’t leave yet, not when he was so close to peace for the world, for them.

She pressed her palms against his chest, yearning for all the water in the world, and reached for the life inside him. She mustered all her energy to heal the collapsed man, with all she had left.

_For saving me._

One last shot, one last chance.

To save the future ruler of the nation, she did whatever it took.

And to see his eyes open again, golden meeting blue, to see him alive and breathing–it was everything.

He had taken a shot for her, and she had saved him.

_Thank you._

* * *

 

Later, when they stumbled into the palace bloodied and broken, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it until she was able to heal him again. He held her close, and sighed in relief that it was all finally over.

And people would say that the firebender took lightning for her because of the avatar, her true love. They would say in the end, the new fire lord and the master waterbender remained close friends and nothing more.

And yet, deep down, the two knew it was so much more than that.

But it was enough.


	2. yet divergent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> do you know what happens when lightning and water touch?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's an old thing i found deep in my phone's notes, written around the same time as part 1. 
> 
> enjoy ^_^

Healing, healing, healing. For the past four days, she has been running from her chambers to Zuko’s, in hopes of getting the chance to mend his body back together, much like she did to others. Her hands yearn to cleanse him of his choice, even though it’s been imbedded into her mind for the rest of her life and her next three. She’s still in awe of him (has always been in awe), and now there’s nothing she can do to make it up to him except to  _heal_ , until they can both pretend it never happened.

Except it did.

She pushes the door open with inane strength and charges towards him again. He hasn’t as much sat up when she grabs a stool and sits at the side of his bed.

“Katara,” He rasps a cough and reaches out to her, “It’s so damn early.”

“It’s never too early,” She retorts as she begins to call for her water a few feet away.

He wipes his eyes and winces. “Seriously? You’re never up this early. I’m not even up at this time.”

katara shrugs as her fingers begin to glow blue, a radiant color that outshines the rest of the red they sit on.

“I guess I’m getting used to this.” She gestures to his chest, waving her hands before him.

Zuko sighs, tugging his robe open slowly. “What’s the point anymore,” He frowns, “It’ll just be another scar.”

The liquid that coats her fingertips finally touches his chest, and all she can feel is the electrocution of lightning hitting water.

“I refuse to let another scar appear in my sight,” she muses, laying her hands on his tight abdomen, settling her palms against his pale skin.

“It’s not like you’re going to see my chest all the time.”

_I wish I could._

_No, actually, I don’t. Not anymore._

They both stare forward at his brooding scar, trying to ignore the harsh redness that encompasses the bright light above it. If anything, it’s a nice contrast against his skin.

He doesn’t even feel sorry about it, and that’s what worries her the most.  
She should be worried. Too many people have sacrificed their lives for the greater good

But this boy–this prince–this  _king_ –is bound for more than she could ever describe.

And yet he took lightning for her without knowing if he would make it.

Is it selfish to not want him to ever do that again?

“No,” he says, “It would never be.”

He startles her, and all the water that tended to him drops in a split motion, letting cool water rain down on him. She jumps, quickly curses herself, and grabs the water from him, throwing it back into the bucket.

Did she just say that out loud?

“I understand how you feel obliged to help me,” he looks away from her, and she wonders when he started to be able to talk with her like this, “But I’m going to be okay.”

She huffs. “It doesn’t hurt to want to help you.”

Zuko turns back to her–and amber eyes glaze over blue–“It doesn’t hurt to want to protect you.”

It effectively leaves her speechless, and neither of them know how he’s able to do that.

He clears his throat after a second, catching his tongue.

“Just… let me.” He asks her with a pinkie drifting a little ways from her little finger.

“Let me protect you.”

And she does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i may continue this, i may not. we'll just have to see. let me know what you think!


End file.
